Who are the 5 greatest Detroit Lions players of all-time?

4. Bobby Layne “Blonde Bomber”, QB (1950-1958)

Bobby Layne was both a blessing for the Detroit Lions and a curse. He had won three different NFL Championships for the Lions in 1952, 1953, and 1957. He cursed the Lions in 1958 when he was traded to Pittsburgh. A curse that has actually lasted longer than Layne predicted.

Layne was not happy about being traded to Pittsburgh in 1958. He had just won the Lions an NFL Championship the previous year and two more in 1952 and 1953. He was one of the best quarterbacks of his generation and by far one of the best players that the Lions had ever had, or will have as far as he was concerned.

While Layne did curse the Lions future he had accomplished many things with the team as well. Let’s go ahead and look at the brighter days of Bobby Layne and the Detroit Lions.

With the Lions, Layne played in 97 games with 84 starts. He had 15,710 passing yards with 118 touchdowns and 142 interceptions. Keep in mind that in Layne’s era the quarterback was not protected like a fragile egg, as it goes these days.

Layne is a five-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro for the Lions. In 1950 and 1951 he was the NFL passing yards leader and also the NFL touchdowns leader in 1951 as well. The Blonde Bomber is a part of the NFL 1950’s All-Decade Team.

As for his entire career, Layne would end up being not only a Detroit Lion great, but an NFL great as well. He has career totals of 175 games played with 145 starts. Layne has 26,768 yards with 196 touchdowns and 243 interceptions.

Throughout his entire NFL career, Bobby Layne would rack up three NFL Championships, six Pro Bowls, three First-Team All-Pro honors, four Second-Team All-Pro honors, two NFL passing yards leader awards, one NFL touchdowns leader award, and a nomination to the NFL 1950’s All-Decade Team. Layne was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1967.